Whispered Promise
by Auburn Angel
Summary: It's another Link/Zelda fic. It's about Zelda's secret, Link's promise and the adventures they have...
1. Default Chapter

Here we go, another attempt at a Zelda fic. It is in Link's POV. I'm having a lot of fun with this pov thing. This is kind of an intro. If a lot of people respond then I'll continue. Anyways, I don't own any Zelda characters, never have, never will. I'm just borrowing them for a little bit k? :) Enjoy!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Whispered Promise  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
It was the weirdest night of my life. I don't really know how to describe it other than that- weird, unusual, odd, defying all normalities. It was a full moon that night, not that it's an excuse or anything, but still, if our bodies our mostly water and the moon affects the ocean's tide it only makes sense that it would also affect us. Anyway, I remember looking up at the sky before I entered the castle thinking to myself 'Oh look, a full moon, it can only mean strange things are to come' and chuckling at my foolishness. I hopped up the castle steps and into the room of my closest friend, Zelda. I was surprised at what I saw.  
  
Zelda looked startled at my entry. She was throwing clothes into a knapsack and tears were running down her cheeks. I gave her a strange look and she grabbed my shirt, pulled me in and quickly shut the door behind me.   
  
"What's going on?" I asked, bewildered.   
  
"I'm leaving," She answered simply, sniffling. She went around the room gathering things from her beautifully crafted wood shelves and elegant stands and put them into her satchel. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to leave this. Her room was divine, lace curtains hung from the windows, and her bed was exquisite with high posts and blankets made from the finest lavender material.   
  
"What?" I was really confused by that time.  
  
"I hafta leave. I'm gonna go somewhere far away, live on my own, away from this..." she replied.  
  
I gave her an amused look. Zelda didn't know the first thing about living on her own. "Why, Zelda? What happened?"  
  
"I can't say. You can tell my father, or the guards, if you'd like but I'll be out of here and far, far away before they can find me," She said, sharply. "Trust me, Link, I can't stay."  
  
"I'll go with you," I said suddenly.  
  
"What?" It was her turn to be confused.  
  
"Yeah, I'll go with you and help you out. I know how to find my own food, fight off monsters, basically I know how to live on my own."  
  
"You'd do that for me?" she asked, eyeing me suspiciously. "You'd leave everything behind, your friends, your home, everything?"  
  
I laughed, "You make it sound like I've got a lot, Zel. Really, have you seen what I've got? A rundown shack, a couple of lovesick admirers, and one really good friend, who is about to run away and leave me here, alone. Besides, Hyrule is getting boring, I could use a little adventure."  
  
Zelda threw her arms around me. "Thank you so much, Link. It will be a lot better with you there."   
  
And that's what got the whole adventure started. I leapt into this whole mess with my eyes shut, not sure where we were going, or why we were leaving in the first place.   
  
We started the journey on horse. We galloped fast and far, getting away from the castle. I observed Zelda carefully. My insides ached to hear what made her so scared, or so upset that she would run away from her kingdom, from her destiny. The princess was so brave, probably braver than I was. I couldn't even begin to imagine what would frighten her this badly. As we rode away, she had a look of persistence upon her face, of determination to get as far away as possible. She didn't say a word to me, not a single word until we were deep in the forest, far from the castle. Even then, she didn't say much.  
  
"This is good for tonight, I'm exhausted," she said as we entered an abandoned cabin. It was great luck we found it, or so I thought at the time. There was only one room, but it had two small beds on opposite sides. It was a little dirty and had a few cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. "Are you regretting coming with me?"  
  
I shook my head no. Of course it wasn't. If only she knew. I would go anywhere for her. I would do anything for her. I watched her carefully as she settled into a bed and drifted to sleep. When I was sure she was sound asleep I sat next to her and stroked her hair gently.  
  
"What are you running from, Zellie, what are you so afraid of?" I whispered as I kissed her forehead lightly, "What ever it is, you don't have to worry about it any longer, I'm here. I'll protect you, I promise. As long as I live I will never let anything harm you."   
  
I didn't realize how hard it would be to keep that promise.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
To be continued...   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

I stayed by Zelda for a while, watching her, making sure she was ok, before I crept off to bed myself. It was hard to sleep being so cold and hungry but I concentrated on the sound of Zelda's steady breathing until I drifted into not-so-peaceful slumber. I was haunted by unusual dreams, dreams that didn't make sense to me. I was being chased by something I couldn't see. I wasn't even sure what it was I was running from, but I was terrified. I could practically taste my own death. I knew, without a doubt, that if that invisible creature caught me it would be the end. I was suddenly pulled out of my dream by Zelda's scream and a stinging feeling taking over my body.   
  
My eyes adjusted quickly and I realized that the cabin was infested with skulltulas. They were climbing all over me sending a painful sensation with each step. I jumped up and started frantically brushing them all off. I looked over at Zelda who was doing the same. The large whitish spiders covered the walls. There were hundreds of them, thousands, even. I grabbed Zelda's wrist and took off running out the door of the cabin. Most of the remaining spiders on Zelda had fallen off during the run, but mine still hung fast.   
  
Looking back, I can only imagine how funny we must have looked, jumping around, shrieking, and trying to get rid of the skulltulas. But it wasn't funny at the time, not at all. I can still remember the piercing pain from the venom that they left, and the way it hurt even hours after they were dead.   
  
Zelda helped pluck off the last of the spiders then gave me a brave smile.  
  
"I guess the cabin wasn't as great as it looked," she said sheepishly. I smiled back weakly.  
  
"What are we gonna do now?" I asked, dreading her answer.  
  
"Keep going, I guess. Try to find another place to stay." She shrugged. The last place I wanted to be was in the forest in the dead of night. And on top of that, my head was pounding and my throat burned. I wasn't about to tell her all that though, I didn't really want her to think I was a sissy.   
  
"Let's get going then," I said, trying to sound upbeat. I held out my hand in the direction of the horses. She gave me a half smile and went over to her horse. I followed, and sighed as I hopped on mine. Zelda did the same and we took off in a slow gallop.   
  
"So Zelda, are you planning on telling me why we're running away?" I asked. It sounded harsher than I wanted it to.  
  
"I can't, Link," she replied, looking straight ahead.  
  
"Why not? It would be nice to at least let me know why *I'm* running away!" I said, exasperated, "I'm risking my life for you and you won't even tell me why."  
  
"I didn't force you to come with me, Link, that was your own choice. You can go home right now if you'd like, don't worry about me," Zelda made her horse go a little faster.   
  
"Zelda..." I kicked my horse and it sped up. When I got close enough I grabbed its reins and made it stop. "Zel, I'm sorry. It's just that... things are kind of bad right now. But hey, I guess they can't get any worse."  
  
As soon as I said that, I mean the *minute* I said that it started to rain. I dropped my shoulders and frowned. I gave Zelda an annoyed look but she had a funny expression on her face. Her lips were pursed together and she had a mischievous look on her face. I realized that she was holding back laughter. Finally she burst into giggles, and I couldn't help but join in. It took forever to stop laughing and when we finally stopped, I realized how much I loved the sound of her laugh. It was so refreshing, so light. It made my tension fade and I felt much better. The reason that people came from vast lands to admire her was obvious. She had this amazing ability to put people at ease, make them feel like the world was on their side.   
  
"Link, I'll understand if you want to go home. You don't have to feel obligated or anything." She said with a sincere look.   
  
I took her hand. "No, Zel, I don't feel obligated. I *do* want to go with you. I wouldn't even think of leaving, I just want to know what hurt you."  
  
She gave me a sad smile "I'm really sorry Link."  
  
I let go of her hand and we continued on in our expedition, slower than before, but still not discouraged. Most of what happened after that is just a blur in my memory. I remember being very wet and very cold. I also remember Zelda's voice seeming very distant right before the darkness surrounded me and I fell into unconsciousness.   
  
  
A/n Yikes, sorry this is taking forever. I am so unbelievable busy right now, but I'm trying to find time to write. Hope u liked this one!!  



	3. Bittersweet Moment

  
I squinted my eyes. As soon as the light flooded into my pupils, I shut them again, too quickly to recognize where I was. My senses overwhelmed me. My whole body hurt, a throbbing pain that started in my head and worked its way down to the tips of my toes. I was warm though, and dry. The last thing I could recall was the cold wetness of the forest. It seemed like that night had been an eternity ago, although it was the last thing I could remember. I tried to say something but it came out as a gurgle. A sharp pain shot through my throat. I felt someone squeeze my hand. I desperately tried to remember what had happened, and how I had gotten there.   
  
Then I heard the sweet whisper.  
  
"Link? Link please wake up, please say something,"   
  
I smiled slightly as Zelda's voice floated into my ears.   
  
"Are you awake? Can you hear me?" she pleaded. I tried to open my eyes again. I opened them partway while they adjusted to the light. When I could finally see what was going on around me, I was even more confused. I was lying on a bed in a strange house. It smelled musty and old. Zelda was sitting on the bed next to me, holding my hand. As soon as I opened my eyes she hugged me tightly.  
  
"You scared me so badly!" her voice turned stern, "don't you *ever* do that to me again!"  
  
"Sorry," I managed to croak. I wanted to ask where we were, how we got there, and how long I had been asleep. I couldn't seem to form the words.   
  
Zelda's voice grew gentle again. "How are you feeling? Do you hurt anywhere?"  
  
I nodded.   
She removed a washrag from my forehead, and placed her hand on my head. Her hand felt cool against my hot skin. She frowned and put the washcloth back where it was.   
  
"You still have a fever, but at least your awake." She bit the edge of her bottom lip. I wanted to tell her that I jinxed it when I said that it couldn't get any worse. I wanted to make her smile. I didn't want her to worry about me. I weakly touched my hand to my neck.  
  
"Does your throat hurt?" she asked. I nodded. She brushed a clump of my hair from my face. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Don't talk, Link. Just lie there and get better. I'm so sorry. So sorry, Link, it's all my fault. You have to get better or I'll never forgive myself."  
  
Tears ran down her face and fell upon my arm. I wanted to understand what she was talking about.   
I wanted to hug her and wipe away her tears. But I couldn't. All I could do was lie there and watch as she cried.  
  
Suddenly a harsh voice bellowed Zelda's name from another room. Zelda's eyes got big and she wiped her face with her arm. She quickly kissed my cheek.  
  
"Go back to sleep, Link. You need your rest." She gave me a sad smile and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her, leaving me confused. All the old questions swirled in my mind along with the new. Where were we? Why were we here? Who was that calling Zelda? How long had I been asleep? What made Zelda run away? Thinking about it made me tired, so I let myself fall asleep. I was haunted by delirious sick dreams that formed unusual answers to the questions. All throughout the night, I fell in and out of sleep, unable to distinguish between dreams and reality.   
  
I sat up in bed, and rubbed my eyes. Zelda was standing beside me holding her knapsack.  
  
"I'm leaving, Link, and never coming back." She said apathetically.   
  
"But why, Zelda?" I asked, reaching for her hand. "I'll go with you."  
  
"No, Link. You aren't ready to come with me. You need to stay here." Although she was trying to hide it, I could see a bit of sentiment in her eyes.   
  
"I'm ready, I'm ready for anything, please!" I begged, not wanting her to leave. She shook her head, turned and walked out the door, without saying goodbye. I tried to follow her but I couldn't move, I was frozen in place.   
  
"Zelda! Zelda!" I called her name over and over again, I needed her to come back, and I needed to tell her that I loved her.   
  
"Link! Link wake up! What's wrong?"   
  
I was jerked out of my dream. I gasped for air, and relief swept over me. It was still nighttime. A candle flickered making the shadows dance. Zelda was sitting on the side of my bed shaking me. I grabbed her and pulled her down, hugging her. My nightmare had felt so believable. I just wanted to touch her, to make sure she was real.   
  
"Don't ever leave," I moaned hoarsely. I hated that pain in my throat, the intense burning that prevented me from saying the thing I needed to tell her. That prohibited me from telling her how much I needed her, that I couldn't live without her, that I adored her. I settled for holding her close, promising myself that I would tell her as soon as I could. I couldn't risk losing her, she meant the world to me.   
  
Zelda didn't answer my request. She got kind of quiet for a minute and then stroked my hair affectionately.   
  
"You don't need me, Link," she said, sadly. I nodded, frustrated at my inability to express my feelings.   
She closed her eyes tightly, and I could sense that she was trying to hold back tears. She didn't say anything, but settled down next to me. She crawled under the covers, pulling them to her chin. She curled up next to me, and put her head on my chest. I could feel her body quiver as she sobbed. I stroked her hair and hugged her. I didn't know what made her cry, but I tried to tell her, without words, that I was there for her.  
  
I stayed awake until her sobs quieted, and her breathing grew steady. I let myself drift asleep, thinking about how bittersweet this moment was. It felt so wonderful to have her lying beside me, but I hated it when she was sad, especially when I felt so powerless to help her.   
  
I took a deep breath, taking in everything, trying to memorize the moment. Despite the aching throughout my body, I wanted this moment to last forever. I kissed her forehead, softly, telling myself that I would have all the answers to my questions soon. Zelda would tell me her secret when she was ready, and I would tell her mine as soon as possible. Because I was ready for her to know that I was in love with her. I fell asleep with that happy thought in my head, overtaking all the discomfort I felt. I would always protect her, even if I didn't know why. I had made that promise to her and I fully intended to keep it.  
  
  



	4. The Confession

When I woke up I was hurting less, but still hurting. Zelda was still lying beside me, curled up against my chest. I made sure not to make any movements that might wake her. She looked so precious, so innocent. I stroked her hair gently and she stirred and smiled peacefully. She must have been having a good dream. I grinned at the thought that it could possibly be about me.   
  
In the last three years, I had spent every waking moment wishing, hoping, and praying to the goddesses that Zelda would realize that she loved me. Perhaps she did. Perhaps she had been hiding it just as I had, for what seemed an eternity. Maybe it was just as hard for her to go on each day with the wonder and anticipation that something would happen, and although it never did, it sure came close. It was so hard just being the best friend.   
  
Zelda yawned and stretched. She grinned up at me.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" she whispered.   
  
"A little." I said. My voice sounded awful. The pain in my throat had lessened, but my voice was almost gone. I decided to wait until my voice was up to it's full potential before admitting my undying love for her. I just figured it would be more romantic if I didn't squeak my way through it.   
  
"You look a lot better," she said, her eyes glowing.   
  
"Where are we? How long had I been unconscious?" I asked. Zelda opened her mouth to speak when the loud stern voice from before called her name again. I didn't like how he said her name. I wasn't use to anyone speaking to the princess like that. The door burst open and a gruff looking man with a mean look upon his face, towered over us.   
  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" he yelled. I could feel Zelda's body tense up beside me. "IT IS NEARLY NOON, AND THERE ARE CHORES TO BE DONE. GET OUT OF BED, RIGHT NOW!"  
  
He stomped over to Zelda, grabbed her ear, pulled her up, and dragged her out the room. Zelda didn't protest, she just scrunched up her face bravely. The man didn't acknowledge me at all. There was no way I was going to let anyone treat Zelda like that. I got shakily out of bed and walked to the door. I was shivering with the chills, and my head pounded, but I was determined to protect Zelda.   
  
I found her scrubbing the floor, the man nowhere in sight.  
  
"Link! What are you doing out of bed? You're still sick!" Zelda stood up.  
  
"Nobody treats you that way. I won't let them," I croaked, trying to look tough.   
  
"Who? Bayton? Oh, don't mind him. Link, you need to focus on getting well, let me deal with him."   
  
"Who is he? Where are we? " I asked exasperated. She put her hand on my back and led me to the room.  
  
"Bayton owns this house. He is letting us stay in this room as long as I do some work for him. I'm not really sure were we are, somewhere on the outskirts of the forest. We were riding along and you just went limp and fell from your horse. It scared me to death," she stopped for a minute as we reached my bed. I climbed in it and she tucked the blankets around me. "I wasn't sure what happened, at first. Luckily I found this place, it's not so bad."  
  
"How long was I out of it?" I whispered.  
  
"Three days. Three long horrible days," she placed a cold rag on my head. "Now, I have to finish cleaning. I'll be back as soon as I can. Rest, my hero of Hyrule."  
  
She smiled warmly at me. I gave her a weak smile back. I was so tired; sleep was beckoning me, tempting me to fall into peaceful slumber. I let it overcome me.  
  
I slept most of the day. I vaguely remember her bringing me some warm tea and sitting beside to me, humming softly.   
  
The next morning I felt much better. My throat was normal and I was less achy. Also, to Zelda's delight, my fever broke. She still tried to keep me in bed though.   
  
"Come on Link, we don't want a relapse," she nagged.  
  
"I'm fine, Zel, you can't keep me in here forever." I argued, with a playful grin on my face.   
  
"Yes I can. *I* am the princess, and *I* say stay in bed!" she teased, pushing me back to the bed.   
  
"Well, *I'm* the hero of time, and I say No!" I challenged her. She laughed and sat next to me.  
  
"I'm so glad you got better. I was so afraid..." she trailed off.   
  
"So afraid of what?" I asked, getting serious.   
  
"Nevermind," she said with downcast eyes.   
  
"Zelda, there's something I want to tell you..." I could feel my heart beating rapidly.  
  
"What?" She asked, tilting her head to one side.   
  
"Zeeeelllldda!" Bayton yelled from afar. I hated that guy, he always ruined everything. Zelda looked at me and rolled her eyes.   
  
"Don't go." I whispered.  
  
"I have to," Zelda replied.  
  
"I won't let him treat you like that. I won't let him." I said stubbornly.  
  
"It's not gonna last forever, Link. Just a few more days and we'll be out of here." She assured me.   
  
Bayton yelled for her again.   
  
"I'm coming!" she yelled back. She stood up.   
  
"I'll help you." I offered.  
  
"No, Link. Just stay in here, I'll be back in a while." She insisted. She left the room and I listened as Bayton yelled at her. I grew furious as he called her worthless and stupid. Nobody talked to my Zelda that way. I gathered up my strength and stormed into the other room. I walked in just in time to see him hit her across the face. Zelda's eyes burned with rage. I could see that she was trying to hold back anger.   
  
"Don't touch her," I said emphasizing every word. Bayton spun around.  
  
"What did you say?" he challenged me.  
  
"You hit her one more time and I'll rip your arms off," I threatened, narrowing my eyes. Behind Bayton, Zelda was shaking her head at me.   
  
"Is this the little brat I let stay in my house? I should've let you die in the cold."  
  
"He's still really sick. He must be delusional. Link, go back to bed." Zelda said between clenched teeth.  
  
"No, Zelda. I'm not gonna let him hurt you." I said firmly.  
  
"Link, I order you to get out of here!" she yelled. I was stunned. I turned and walked out the front door, into the forest.   
  
I didn't know where to go or what to do, so I just paced around angrily. I had only been trying to protect her, trying to defend her honor. After a few minutes, Zelda came out.  
  
"Link, you almost got us kicked out of there," she scolded. "Luckily I convinced him you were still a little out of it."  
  
"I refuse to let anyone hurt you, Zelda. Maybe we should just go, get out of here," I suggested.   
  
"In a couple days. We can't leave now, not until I'm sure you're completely better," She argued.   
  
"What's up with you? Why are you so worried about this?" I persisted.   
  
"Because I care about you!" she said exasperatedly. "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have made you come."   
  
"It's not your fault. I don't see why you've convinced yourself that! You didn't ask me to come. I wanted to come. I wanted to come because I..." I stopped.  
  
"Because what, Link?" she asked, her voice getting soft.  
  
"Because I...Because I'm in love with you. I love everything about you, your voice, your smile, your cleverness, you kindness, bravery...I could go on forever. I can't stop thinking about you, even when I sleep. You take over my dreams, you're always there when I close my eyes. I don't want to leave your side. You're so important to me, I love you so much." I said bravely. I watched her reaction carefully.   
  
She closed her eyes tightly and bit her lip. "Why couldn't you have decided that a couple months ago!" she asked, looking close to tears.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean? I just poured my heart out to you, and that's all you can say? Do you love me Zelda?" I asked desperately.   
  
"Link..." she covered her face with her hands. I could feel my heart breaking.   
  
"Are you crying? Why are you crying? I've seen you cry more times in the last week than in you entire life! What's making you so upset? Tell me, please!" I persisted.   
  
"Jeez, Link, I've waited forever to hear you say you loved me, why did you have to wait so long?!" She said, moving her hands from her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks.   
  
"Does that mean you love me? I'm not getting it, can you please just tell me straight out?!" I pleaded.   
  
"Of course I love you, Link! Haven't you seen it before? I've always loved you!" she told me.   
  
"Then why are you crying?!" I asked, confused.  
  
"Because, Link, because of what has happened to me. It makes it impossible for me to be happy. It just messed up everything. Why me?" she sobbed. I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly.   
  
"What happened?" I asked comfortingly. She pulled away from me. I gently wiped her tears away.   
  
"I'm afraid of what is going to happen to me." She broke down crying again. I hugged her once more.  
  
"I won't let anything happen to you." I reassured her.   
  
"But what if you can't stop it?" she asked in a little voice. Just then Bayton came out again.  
  
"What is taking you so long?!" he demanded. Zelda wiped her face with her forearm.  
  
"Sorry," she called to him in a shaky voice. She turned to me, "This will probably take a while. I'll tell you everything in the morning."  
  
I nodded. She turned and walked to Bayton. I watched her go in and then I went in myself. For the rest of the day, all the possibilities ran through my head. It was torture. I fell asleep before Zelda came back to bed, and in the morning when I woke up, she had disappeared, and so had her horse.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. The secret

  
  
  
  
Zelda's knapsack and all of her stuff was gone. I was angry, well more like frustrated. Why was she so determined to keep me in the dark about this? Why didn't she trust me enough to tell me? I climbed on my horse looked around. I had no clue in which direction she had gone. Luckily, I found horse hoofprints in the damp mud, leading me in her direction. I took off as fast as I could. I had no way of knowing when she had left. Had she even come to bed the night before? There were all kinds of dangerous creatures roaming around; she could easily be taken down by a pack of them. I forced my mind away from that thought. I just had to keep following the hoofprints. Then they vanished. I stopped abruptly. There were two possible trails. I tried to think like Zelda. Which direction would Zelda go in?  
  
The paths looked identical so I just picked one and hoped it was right. I galloped on, not as quickly as before, with the uncertainty that Zelda had gone that way. A thought flashed into my mind. That one decision, the decision of which path to take, would greatly impact the rest of my life.   
  
I traveled all day, only guessing the paths she took. I found myself in a swamp. The mud was slick and deep and pulled me down with every step. I walked in front of my horse, pulling its reins. My horse was as discouraged as I was. I wiped my face with my forearm, getting mud on my cheek. I didn't care. The odds were that I would never see Zelda again. I contemplated going back to the castle, telling them everything I knew, and letting them send out a search party to find her. But I knew that there was a good reason Zelda ran away. Besides, I wasn't sure if I could even find my way back to the castle. I quickened my pace, the slower I walked the harder it was to pull my foot out from the mud. I didn't know which direction to turn so I just kept going straight. I was tired, so tired, and still a little bit sick. Zelda was right, I should've stayed in bed. But I couldn't just let her go, let her run away. I could feel the chills and headache coming back. I just wanted to sleep. I wanted to give up, my eyes wanted to shut, and my feet were heavy. It was getting harder and harder for me to keep from sinking. It was even more difficult to keep my horse from sinking.  
"Come on," I muttered, pulling his reins. After some struggling, I finally got him out of the mud, but he just started sinking again. He was too weary, as was I. I could see solid ground, but I didn't think I could make it. I was waist deep in the muck. It surrounded me, it dragged me down. I tried to fight it but the more I struggled the faster I sank. As the mud reached my face I gave up, sadly realizing that I had never kissed Zelda. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, waiting for my inevitable fate. Suddenly someone pulled me out. I gasped for air. An older man was helping me out.   
  
"You'll be okay, kid." He reassured. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up,"  
  
I coughed and took in deep breaths of air as he led me to his home. He gave me a towel to wipe the mud off.   
  
"Here you go, have some water," he gave me a cup and I drank it.   
  
"How- how'd you walk without sinking?" I asked, my lungs still burning.  
  
"Special boots," he answered, "How'd you get way out here? Are you lost?"  
  
"I've been looking for this girl." I paused.  
  
"You're looking for a girl? Well, you won't have much to choose from out here." He said.  
  
"Not just any girl. My...friend, she's in some kind of trouble. Have you seen a girl go by here? She's very beautiful. She has long flowing blonde hair, and shining green eyes like emeralds. She's tall and slim and has this cute little habit of nibbling on her bottom lip when she's nervous." I sighed miserably, "I miss her so much."  
  
"You know, I have seen a girl go by, who fit that description. I remember her because of her striking beauty," he informed me. My eyes lit up.  
  
"Which way did she go? How long ago?" I asked jumping up.  
  
"Oh, it was only about an hour ago. She was headed north, towards that canyon." He pointed out the window.   
  
"Thank you, thank you for everything. I apologize for my abruptness but I must get going, I've got to find her. Goodbye!" I called as I ran out the door. I jumped on my horse and took off, with my newfound energy. I felt so overjoyed. I had been going the right way, all along I had been right on her trial.  
  
I followed the path, racing along, not daring to slow down. I continued with the same pace until in the orangeish horizon I could see her silhouette. I made the horse gallop with all its might.  
  
"Zelda! Zelda!" I called. She turned. I expected her to run away, to try to flee, but she didn't. She just slid off her horse. I reached her and hopped off mine. I had so many reactions, I didn't know which to behave first. I felt anger bubbling up inside of me.  
  
"How could you do this to me? How could you leave me after everything that happened?"  
  
"I was doing it for your sake, Link. So it would be easier for you!" she insisted.  
  
"So what would be easier?! Tell me Zelda! So what would be easier?" I demanded. "I'm sick of you not telling me!"  
  
"So it would be easier for you to go on without me. So you wouldn't have to watch me die!" Zelda screamed at me. Everything went quiet; the whole world froze. "Are you happy now, Link? Are you? Now you know my secret, my horrible secret. What are you going to do about it, Link, huh? Are you gonna destroy whatever the disease is inside of me, making me weak, slowly killing me? I don't think you can help! Nobody can! Nobody can do anything! I just thought I'd spare everyone the pain of watching me grow weaker and weaker until I finally just die. I don't want any pity. I was starting to deal with it just fine, and then you had to tell me that you loved me. It's isn't fair, Link. I don't want to die, not now, not when I finally know that you love me too," she fell on her knees sobbing uncontrollably.   
  
I didn't know what to say. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't. I kneeled down beside her and brushed her hair away from her face.   
  
"What makes you think you're dying?" I asked gently.  
  
"I overheard Impa talking to the royal physician about it. I have some sort of rare illness that doesn't have a cure. She was crying, she didn't know how to tell me. So I left. I didn't want her to see me die, I didn't want my father to, I didn't want you to see me die either but I was scared. You always make me feel safe." She said, still crying. I pulled her close to me. I stroked her hair, and kissed her forehead.   
  
"You're not gonna die, I wont let you. I need you. I'll help you find some kind of medicine, or magic potion, or something. I'm sure there's something," I reassured her. She slipped her arms around my waist and buried her head into my chest.   
  
"How can you be so sure?" she asked sadly.  
  
"The goddesses wouldn't take you away from me now, I know they wouldn't. I love you too much," I reassured her. Silent tears fell down my cheeks. I was so afraid. So afraid for her, so afraid of losing her. I couldn't let Zelda know just how scared I was. "You'll be fine, Zellie. Don't worry, don't worry about anything."  
  



	6. Hope

I spent the rest of the night comforting Zelda, telling her that everything would turn out ok. There were still tons of questions running about in my mind but I pushed them away. It was definitely not the time to bombard her with questions.  
  
"Come on, Zel, let's find some shelter," I said gently, helping her to her feet. I scanned the village below. "I'm sure there has to be some sort of inn down there."  
  
She nodded and we walked down the hill, pulling our horses along. When we reached the bottom, I found I was right. There was a small inn near the base of the cliff.   
  
"Does this look okay?" I asked Zelda.   
  
"Look's fine," she said. "I'll stay here and watch the horses, while you find out if there are any rooms available."  
  
I slid my hand in hers.   
  
"I don't think so. You're coming with me. I'm not gonna risk another disappearing act," I said stubbornly. She didn't argue, just silently followed me.   
  
To my relief, there was a room for us, along with a shelter for our horses.   
  
"It isn't so bad," I said, optimistically. She muttered something about not wanting to see my definition of bad.   
  
To tell the truth, those days are kind of a blur to me, although I can still vividly recall the heavy feeling in my stomach, the disbelief, and the dread.   
  
"Here, Zel," I said to her when I found a clean washcloth. I handed it to her and she wiped all the mud off her face, then collapsed on the bed. I watched her for a few minutes. She didn't say or doing anything other than just stare up at the ceiling.   
  
"You're gonna be fine," I said, breaking the silence. Zelda gave me a look of skepticism. "We are gonna find something to help you, but first I need you to clear things up for me,"  
  
"Like what?" she asked in a small voice. I sat next to her.   
  
"Are you absolutely, positively sure you're sick?" I asked, "I mean, you look fine to me,"  
  
"Would I run away if I weren't absolutely positively sure?" she asked, "Just because I don't look sick doesn't mean I'm not."  
  
"Sick with what?" I asked, grasping her hand.   
  
"I'm not sure. I only overheard Impa taking about it." She told me. I raised an eyebrow. How was I supposed to find a cure to a disease I didn't know the name of? This was gonna be harder than I thought.  
  
"Just..." I paused, "Can you tell me everything, from the beginning?"  
  
She nodded and took a deep breath, "Ok. It started when I couldn't sleep at night, and lost my appetite. Impa was starting to worry about me so she called in the physician. He did some blood tests and asked me some questions and stuff. I didn't think too much about it, I wasn't worried or anything. So anyway, the next day I was walking down the corridor and I thought I heard the sound of someone crying. It was coming from Impa's room so I pressed my ear to the door. I know I shouldn't have been eavesdropping but I needed to know what was making her so upset. I heard her say, "No, not the Princess, she's so young, only sixteen." And then I heard the physician reply, "I know, I'm so sorry. I double-checked it to be sure, but I still got the same result. I've never seen anything like this before, I don't think she has very much longer to live." And I backed away from the door. I didn't know what to say or what to do. It was so unexpected. I just...I knew I couldn't stay there. It would be too hard, everyone treating me with pity. And I was afraid for them. Or perhaps I hoped maybe I could run away from it, although that's impossible. I started throwing my things into a knapsack when you came in."  
  
She took a deep, shaky breath. I squeezed her hand supportively, trying to mask my true feelings. I thought over my options.  
  
"Well, we could..." I hesitated, knowing she was going to hate this idea, "go back to the castle and see if they have anything."  
  
I was right.  
  
"No, absolutely not. They don't have anything, or they wouldn't have been so upset." Zelda persisted, "I don't want to go back there. Link, please, don't make me go back!"   
  
"Ok, ok," I said, trying to calm her, "How about we go to the great fairy tomorrow and talk to her, see what she says? Does that sound okay?"  
  
She nodded.   
  
"Good. Now let's just rest today. I don't know about you but I haven't slept since you took off. Promise me you won't disappear again."  
  
"I promise,"  
***  
  
The next day we continued our journey. Zelda mood seemed to have brightened a little, with the faint shimmer of hope. I tried my best to sound positive and mask my fear.   
  
"Come on, Zelda. Not too much farther now," I said lightly. We had been traveling since dawn and it was nearly dark.   
  
"She's sure to have something, right?" Zelda asked hopefully. I could tell she was getting apprehensive about talking to the fairy.  
  
"Oh yeah, definitely," I told her. I had no idea what I was going to say to her if I was wrong. She gave me a little smile, the first smile I had seen from her in days.   
  
"Is that it?" Zelda pointed to a cave up ahead.  
  
"I think so," I replied. I trotted my horse up to it and hopped off, followed by Zelda. "Here we go," I took a deep breath.  
  
Zelda slipped her hand in mine. I squeezed it reassuringly and walked into the cave. It was, indeed, the Great Fairy's temple. It sparkled brightly in the color of pink. There were majestic white marble pillars around the shallow pool of water. I hesitated for a moment before walking into the middle of it with Zelda.   
  
As soon as I reached the middle, the water swirled and the fairy appeared with a high-pitched giggle. She floated above us, her pink hair weightless as if in water. I bowed in respect.  
  
"Welcome brave lad and courageous princess." She greeted.   
  
"We come in need of your help. We are seeking-" I started.  
  
"I know what you are seeking," the fairy smiled, "A cure for the princess."  
  
"Yes," I closed my eyes tightly preparing for her response.   
  
"I regret to tell you, I do not have anything that can save the princess." She said. Zelda breathed in sharply. "But I know of someone who can help. In the far southern corner of the swamp lives a man who can make a potion for you. His name is Kade, tell him I sent you."  
  
"Thank you so much," I replied, breathing in a sigh of relief.   
  
"Good luck, young ones. Stay strong," and with that, she disappeared into the whirlpool of water.   
  
I turned to Zelda and hugged her tightly.  
  
"See I told you we'd find something," I said spinning her around, "Now all we have to do is go the swamp and find that man,"  
  
If only it were that simple.  



	7. Slipping Away

"Link, I'm tired," Zelda whimpered. She ducked under a low hanging branch, then paused to catch her breath.  
  
"It can't be that much farther, Zel. You can make it," I said, slowing but not stopping. A couple hours before, we had reached a point where our horses could no longer go, so we had to continue on foot.  
  
"Link, I really can't. I need to rest," She sat on a nearby rock. I turned around and was about to protest, when I noticed how pale she was.   
  
"Ok, we'll stop for a few minutes," I walked over and sat next to her. She rested her head against my shoulder and sighed. I slid my hand into hers and squeezed it reassuringly.   
  
"Link..."   
  
"Huh?"  
  
"How much longer?" she asked. Her voice sounded distant and it worried me.  
  
"Not much," I told her, trying to sound confident, "Are you ready yet?"   
  
"No," she said simply. I stood up.  
  
"Let's go," I held my hand out to her. "It'll all be over soon."  
  
She just stared at my outreached hand. I studied her. She had changed, not very much, but I could still tell. Her eyes lacked the usual sparkle of excitement, and instead of a mischievous half grin, was a dismal pout.   
  
"Zelda," I said calmly, yet firmly, "It's going to get dark soon. We have to keep moving."  
  
Her eyes flickered up to mine, then back to my hand. She gave me a skeptical look. She was not used to being told what to do, especially by me.  
  
"I'm *tired* Link. Why don't you get that?" she said, crossing her arms. I gave a defeated sigh and dropped my hand. I paced around for a minute then came to a stop in front of her. I crouched down so I was eye level to her.  
  
"Look, Zellie," I said softly. "I know you're tired and I understand that. I'm sorry you don't feel good, and I'm sorry we have to do this, but the point is we have to. Because I love you very, very much, and I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. We can save you, but we have to keep going, even if we're tired. So please, Zellie, if you wont do it for yourself, then do it for me, because I'd die without you,"  
  
I stared into her eyes. She was silent for a minute, then she hugged me tightly.   
  
"All right, Link," she whispered into my ear, "I'll do it for you,"   
  
And so we continued on our journey, hand-in-hand. She tried to keep up, but no matter how hard she tried, the longer we walked the slower she got. Dusk set in, making the swamp seem spooky and depressing. A weird sort of hush fell over the swamp animals and the only sounds were us making our way through the low hanging branches, and the sounds of our voices. Or rather, my voice.  
  
"Not much farther now," I told her, "We've been in the swamp since noon, it can't be too long before we get to the southern corner,"  
  
"Mmmhmm," she replied, ducking under a branch.   
  
"When we get there, we can rest a bit, get your medicine, then head back," I said. I got no reply. I stopped walking.  
  
"Are you okay?" I asked, turning to her. She nodded, despite the troubled look in her eyes. "Do you wanna rest?"  
  
She shook her head.   
  
"Um, Zelda, I'm going for a verbal answer here," I said.  
  
"Sorry," she replied, softly. I smiled, but didn't feel much better. Her lack of conversation was bothering me, it was almost as if she were slipping away.   
  
"Go ahead and sit," I told her. She sat down and put her head in her hands. She slid her fingers through her hair and rested her forehead against the palms of her hands. My eyes widened as I realized just how pale she was. Just as luck would have it, she looked up at me that very moment.  
  
"What?" she asked in alarm, "What's wrong?"  
  
I tried to mask my worry, "Nothing,"  
  
"That wasn't a nothing look," she said, frantically. "We're in trouble aren't we? I mean, I'm in trouble."  
  
"No, no not at all," I lied. I scooted next to her and stroked her hair, "Trust me, everything's going fine,"  
  
She leaned against me and I kissed the top of her head, gently. She felt cold to the touch. I wrapped my arms around her in attempt to keep her warm. Suddenly a swamp-thing howled loudly, sounding incredibly close. I stood and picked her up, so her legs were slung over my arms, and hers were clasped weakly around my neck. I walked as quickly as I could holding Zelda. I couldn't let her die in my arms; I wouldn't let it happen. I tried to keep her awake.  
  
"Almost there, Zelda. Can't be too far now, Zelda. It's just up ahead, Zelda," I kept saying to her. After what seemed like hours, I spotted a small hut. "I see it, Zelda!"  
  
I quickened my pace and when I reached to hut, I kicked on the door. "Hey, is anyone in there? Help me! Please!"   
  
The door opened and an odd-looking little man answered, with a bewildered expression. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Kade?" I asked. He nodded. "I need your help, I was sent by the great fairy. I'm Link and this is princess Zelda from Hyrule, she needs your help, I was told you can make some medicine for her."  
  
Kade opened the door wider and motioned for us to come in. "Set her down on the bed,"  
  
I obeyed. Zelda fidgeted and moaned.  
  
"It'll be okay now, Zellie," I said, brushing my fingertips against the back of hand. Kade put his hand to her forehead then moved it to her wrist and felt her pulse. After that, he raised her eyelid, causing her to turn away. He kept making hmmm sounds as he inspected her.  
  
"I'm almost positive she has Javerla poisoning. She's showing all the classic symptoms."  
  
"Javerla poisoning?" I inquired.  
  
"She must have eaten some Javerla berries. There is a cure, but you'll have to get the supplies, and quickly. She is barely hanging on." He said as he scribbled down some things on a piece of paper. "Here."  
  
He handed me the paper. "You'll find most, if not all, of these things in the swamp. Now go, hurry,"  
  
I started for the door.  
  
"And Link," he said. I stopped and turned. "Javerla berries are native to the swamp, not found anywhere near Hyrule. I think someone deliberately tried to poison your friend."  
  
I felt an icy chill as I turned and ran out the door.  
  
  



	8. The Search

[A/N] So sorry for the incredibly long wait, but here it is. Oh yea the ~~~~ things mean Link's memories.   
Enjoy ?  
  
  
  
  
His words rang in my ears as I ran out of the hut and stared at the list. 'I think someone deliberately tried to   
poison your friend.' I would kill whoever tried to hurt my Zelda. I stared at the paper.  
  
Latos egg  
Hair of Zane  
Grake horn  
Spring water  
Gold powder  
Stick  
  
I quickly formed a strategy in my head. I wasn't sure what half the stuff on the list was. Latos? Zane?   
Grake? Well I'd start simple, water couldn't be that hard to get, I knew what gold powder was, and it   
wouldn't be hard at all to find a stick. I looked down at my feet and grabbed a fallen tree branch. I gave   
myself a grim smile, realizing I was 1/6th finished with my quest. Now for the spring water.  
  
I had been running around for about a half-hour and all I had was the stick. With every passing minute my   
faith and confidence decreased. I couldn't help but think that Zelda could already be dead. I pushed   
myself harder, ran faster, and scanned my surroundings more intensely. It had to be here somewhere.   
  
All of a sudden, I tripped on a rock. The momentum took me and I flew forward, landing with my arms   
sprawled out on the ground.   
  
For a moment I could have sworn I heard Zelda calling out for me. I called out her name weakly, and   
struggled to get up. My head pounded and the ringing in my ears grew louder, until it filled my head and   
was the only thing I could hear. I let my head completely collapse onto the hard dirt I had fallen onto, and   
let the visions and memories overtake me.  
  
"Li-ink," little Zelda whined, with her hands on her hips. "Come-on!"  
  
I glared up at her, "You tripped me!"  
  
"I did not. You fell over your own clumsy feet. Now get up and let's go! This is boring." She was about   
eleven years old, still as beautiful as ever, and I was fully aware of it, even then.   
  
I grasped a low-hanging tree branch, and pulled myself to my feet, and dusted off my tunic. I looked up to   
find Zelda giggling at me.   
  
"Now what is so funny, princess?" I demanded.   
  
"The great hero of time, can not even walk without falling!" she laughed, tossing her head back. For a brief   
second I just stared at her beauty, I watched as her long golden hair danced in the gentle breeze, and how   
her eyes shimmered in amusement. I was mesmerised, but only for a second.  
  
"You tripped me and you know it!" I argued, trying to hold back a smile. I took off running after her, and   
she let out a small playful scream and scrambled to get away…  
  
  
  
"Oww," I moaned. I could feel the deep scrapes on my arms. I pushed myself to my knees and examined   
my arms. They seemed to glisten and when I studied them closer, I realized I had landed right in a pile of   
gold powder.   
  
"Thank you Goddesses," I breathed, scooping up as much of the gold dust that I could. I hopped to my feet   
and kept going, with renewed confidence.   
  
It didn't take much longer for me to locate the water, so all I had left was the Latos egg, hair of zane, and a   
grake horn. I followed my instincts (and a trail of weird footprints, but mostly my instincts) until I came   
upon a pack of weak-looking animals with a nearby nest of eggs. They were small, brown animals with   
long ears, and big feet. I fearlessly walked up to the meek creatures and tried to grab and egg when one of   
them lunged at me. Its teeth clamped onto my wrist and wouldn't let go. I hollered as I flung my wrist   
around. It held tightly. Blood dripped from the wounds his sharp teeth made in my skin. With my other   
hand I grabbed its ears and yanked as hard as I could. It finally came off, along with a big chunk of my   
skin. I went for the egg but another stood there baring its teeth. For a minute, I was uncertain about what   
to do but after a moment's thought I kicked the beast as hard as I could and sent it flying. I grabbed an egg   
and took of as fast as my legs could go.   
  
"That just better be the right creature," I muttered to myself, as I slowed down to catch my breath.   
  
I looked at my bloodstained list. Four down, two to go.   
  
  
"Whatcha thinkin?" a beautiful, songlike voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up at her from under my   
shade tree. She was leaning up against a tree and her hair was curled up in beautiful ringlets that framed   
her soft, pale face. She was wearing a white lacey dress that made her eyes stand out and her lips seem   
even more desirable.   
  
"What's wrong?" she shifted uncomfortably under my stare. I shook myself back into reality.  
  
"Oh, um nothing, it's just…" I stammered, "You look beautiful,"  
  
She gave me a funny laugh, "Oh Link, you're so silly. Don't turn into a googily-eyed boy on me."  
  
She knelt down beside me and sighed deeply, with a far-away look.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked, putting my hand on her shoulder comfortingly.   
  
"Nothing it's just…" she sighed again, "I don't wanna get married to one of the suitors daddy has picked   
out for me, and I don't wanna have to be the queen and be all responsible. I just wanna climb the fences in   
the middle of the night, and go on all kinds of quests and adventures with you."  
  
'There's nothing I'd rather do than be with you forever,' I thought.  
  
  
  
  
I shook myself out of the daydreem and I saw the creature with a horn. I could feel the blood drain from   
my face. Unlike the Latos, the Horned Grake was pretty scary looking. It was bigger than I, and hairy,   
with beady looking eyes and sharp claws.   
  
I took a deep breath and went after it. I jumped on its back and grabbed the horn. Equipped with a sharp   
rock I tried to saw the horn off. The creature shook me off, and I rammed against a tree.   
  
"What are you doing?" It asked. My eyes widened.  
  
"Yo-you can talk?" I stammered. It nodded.   
  
"Are you a Grake?" I asked.   
  
"Yes," It replied. Its voice was deep and raspy.   
  
"I'm terribly sorry. I just need one of your horns to make medicine for my dying friend," I explained.  
  
"Why didn't you just ask?" It said, tilting its head to one side.  
  
"Um that's a good question," I replied sheepishly. It took the rock and cut off the edge of its left horn.   
  
"Here," it handed it to me. I stared at it in shock.  
  
"Thank you," I said, "can you tell me what a zane is?"  
  
"Oh yeah, it's that," the grake pointed to a porcupine-looking creature.   
  
"Great," I sighed.   
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
"I need a hair off of it," I said.   
  
"Oh well, here," the grake used one of its claws to pluck off a single hair.   
  
"Thank you!" I said, "How can I repay you?"  
  
"Just don't attack me anymore," it said. I laughed and nodded.   
  
"Alright," I agreed. "Goodbye, thank you."  
  
I turned and headed back to the hut, still perplexed about the weirdness of what had just happened.   
  
"Must be a full moon," I muttered to myself.   



	9. The Kiss

I burst through the flimsy wooden door into the small hut.  
  
"Here!" I held the bag of items out to Kade, "Take it, just make her better, just maker her better,"  
  
He took the brown bag from my quivering hands and set the items carefully in the table, without so much as a word to me. I paced around the frail man, my mind racing, but feeling completely and utterly helpless. Kade muttered something under his breath and rocked back and forth stroking his white beard as if deep in thought.  
  
From the next room I could hear Zelda moaning, crying out pitifully. I left Kade's side and walked swiftly into her room. She shivered uncontrollably, but her delicate porcelain forehead was lined with small beads of sweat. I delicately grasped her small, clammy hand and stroked it comfortingly.  
  
"Zellie," I whispered, "It'll be alright, okay? I'm here to protect you, I'm right here. Nothing's going to hurt you. Just be strong, like you always are. You are the bravest, most heroic girl- I mean woman- I have ever met. You have to be strong for me; never in a million years will I find someone like you again. You're one of a kind, Zellie," My voice cracked, "I love you so much.  
  
Her shaking stopped, but her eyes stayed shut, as if the sun refused to shine and the dark night hung still in the air. I dabbed her forehead with my sleeve and stroked the hair away from her face. Her breathing seemed to grow shallow, and I could almost feel my heart stopping.  
  
"Kade!" I turned sharply, to find the mystical little man in front of me, "Kade, help her please. There's no time, no time,"  
  
He nodded, and motioned for me to move aside. I obeyed hastily, and hurried to the opposite side of the bed. I watched carefully as he tilted her head back and poured a small amount of green, thick, liquid into her mouth. She swallowed it awkwardly, then coughed and sputtered. Again Kade eased her mouth open and more light green medicine dripped into her mouth. He continued this procedure until more than half of the liquid was gone.  
  
"It could take a while, maybe days," Kade said.   
  
"She looks better already," I gave him a feeble smile. Kade patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Thank you so much, Kade. I don't know how to repay you, you've given me my world back."  
  
"Don't thank me till she can walk out that door,"   
  
I waited by her side all night, without giving sleep a single thought. The night was cold and harsh and I only had a dimly lit fire and a thin worn blanket to keep me warm. The night slipped away into morning, although I could hardly tell, for the warm glowing sun was masked behind dark, threatening clouds. There was no light shining into the room, through the small window beside Zelda's bed, and weary chill haunted the house.  
  
"You'll drive yourself mad like this," Kade suddenly appeared, coming out from behind the shadows. "You should get some rest."  
  
"I cant, she may wake up, and I promised to be there for her," I explained, studying her ever move, her every twitch, and her every sigh.   
  
"She must be a very special friend," Kade remarked, handing a cup of warm cider to me.  
  
I smiled but did not answer. Zelda did not shiver anymore, but she did not wake either. Any move she made was small, and I studied her so closely I could remember every single cough and every single shift.   
  
Zelda did not awaken that cold, lonely day, or that night, which was even colder than the day it followed. It wasn't until the morning after that, when the sun appeared from behind the clouds, and a ray of light shone through the window, when Zelda's eyes fluttered open, right into mine.  
  
"Link?" she called weakly, "Where are we?"  
  
I stroked her hair and kissed her forehead lightly. I wanted to scoop her up and hug her, but I knew better than that.  
  
"I'm so glad you're awake," I whispered.  
  
"What's going on?" She asked, her eyes moving around the room, "I feel so tired,"  
  
Her eyes blinked heavily.  
  
"Don't sleep, Zelda, please, you've slept long enough," I said to her, fearing I might never she her shining eyes again.   
  
"How long?" she asked.  
  
"A few days, but you're alright now. In a couple more days we'll go home, and everything will be perfect. I'm sure everyone is worried to death about you."  
  
"I'm better?" she asked, a small fleeting smile crossed her face.  
  
  
"Better than ever," I smiled. "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat or maybe drink?"  
  
She shook her head.  
"I think I'm gonna get you some water anyway," I said, jumping to my feet. I   
walked into the other room, when I remembered that Kade didn't know yet.  
  
"Great news, she's awake," I said, unable to keep a grin off my face. I poured her a small cup of water, and Kade followed me into the room.  
  
"I'm glad to see you're better, Princess," Kade smiled at her.  
  
"Thank you for everything," Zelda said, gratefully. Kade held his hand against her forehead, and gave a sigh of relief.  
  
"You're welcome, Princess," he said, "I'll just leave you two alone for a while, Link can explain everything." He smiled and winked at me before heading out of the room.  
  
"I can't wait to go home, Link," she said happily, "I'm so glad everything's ok now and there's nothing else to worry about. Now we can just concentrate on us,"  
  
"I've been concentrating on us for all my life," I told her. Then, out of impulse, I reached down and pressed my lips gently against Zelda's. The tender kiss was nearly magical and brought me away from reality, and the gnawing feeling inside of me, dreading the near future when I had to tell Zelda the truth of the Javerla berries. 


	10. Strategies

Chapter 10  
  
  
  
The next morning I awoke feeling refreshed and relieved. I stared at Zelda from across the room, and the sight of her sleeping so quietly and peacefully brought a smile to my face. Sun shone through the window, casting a white glow over Zelda's sleeping body. Birds sang from outside the small cottage, seeming to call out to all the other birds "Zelda is well, Zelda is well."  
  
I quietly slid out of the bed and made my way to the sleeping princess. I carefully placed my hand gently against her forehead, finding she had no fever. Her eyes opened and she just stared at me for a few minutes, still dazed from sleep.  
  
"Link," She stretched and yawned, "Good morning,"  
  
"Good morning, my princess. Did you sleep peacefully?" I asked.  
  
"Yes I did," she gave me a warm smile. She looked up at me with a pecuiler look in her eyes.  
  
"What's that look for?"  
  
"Oh nothing," she grinned, "I'm just anxious to see what happens next."  
  
"Next? What do you mean next?"  
  
"I mean, now that everything's better, and we can get on with our lives, and see what the future bestows us." She took my hand in hers and I felt a pang of guilt.  
  
"Zelda I have something to tell you," I said closing my eyes and putting my head down.  
  
"What Link? This doesn't sound good."  
  
I opened my eyes to see her worried eyes penetrating mine.  
  
"Everything's not better," I said abruptly. "Zelda, someone wants you dead."  
  
"What?" she gasped. She let go of my hand and pulled herself up.  
  
"I'm sorry. I mean, I didn't mean to say it so harshly, but I'm sick of keeping it from you, Zel," My voice softened, "Someone poisoned you with Javerla berries, that's why you were sick. Someone in Hyrule purposely fed you those berries,"  
  
Zelda giggled, and it caught me off guard.  
  
"Huh? What's funny?" I asked. Zelda shook her head.  
  
"Nothing, it's just. Things keep happening, like sickness, and rain, and mean people, and… I'm gonna beat this sick jerk to a bloody pulp."  
  
I paused for a minute staring at her stern, determined eyes, full of fortitude, then I threw back my head and laughed.  
  
"You never cease to amaze me, princess," I laughed. Zelda's tough face broke and she began to giggle again.  
  
"Geez, Link, all of this started because of one stupid person trying to get rid of me," she shook her head. "And as difficult and heart- wrenching as this whole situation was, I wouldn't change a single second of it."  
  
"Not even the skulltula house or the running away or the secrets?" I asked.  
  
"Nope, I wouldn't change anything. Right now everything is near perfect – with the exception of one pesky little hell-raiser- and who knows where we would be if one single second of our lives had been different. Who knows if we would be here right now if I had chosen to stay in Hyrule, or if you wouldn't have found me that night, or if I would have stayed with you at Bayton's house. I'm not gonna worry about the past anymore Link, now I'm just going to concentrate on the future, our future." She looked down bashfully. I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.  
  
"So then we leave to Hyrule?" I inquired.  
  
"Of course,"  
  
"And about the Javerla situation?  
  
"Well, let's map out a plan. First off- figure out the path of my foods. Okay where does it start?"  
  
"Well, um, someone picks the berries," I suggested.  
  
"Yeah but who?"  
  
"I don't have the faintest idea. There are way too many people who work in the castle to remember all of them."  
  
"That's not important anyways, because the cook makes the food, wouldn't she be the only one who could put the berried in my food?"  
  
"Not necessarily. Anyone could easily slip in some mashed up fruit- one of the hundreds of servers, guests joining you for dinner, anyone who just 'happens' to be passing by. Besides, I don't think the cook would be so obvious as to pull a stunt like that."  
  
"Unless she didn't think I would survive to figure it out," Zelda reasoned.  
  
"This is way to broad," I muttered, heaving a deep sigh.  
  
"Maybe we don't need to know who did it. Maybe we can just go and tell someone and let them figure it out."  
  
"How do we know who to trust Zelda? The suspects range to anyone from Impa to the weird guy who lives on the other side of the village. I just don't know Zelda, I just don't know."  
  
"Impa?! Why are you blaming impa?" Zelda asked, narrowing her eyes.  
  
"I'm not blaming Impa, I'm just saying that we cant trust anyone, to us everyone is a suspect," I reached out for her hand but she sharply wrenched it away.  
  
"Well, that makes you a suspect too then, Link," she turned away from me and crossed her arms.  
  
"Zellie, don't say that," I scooted closer to her, and put my hand on her shoulder, "I don't think Impa did anything, sweetie, honest, it's just…trust me, don't confide in anyone but me. Don't be upset, I'm just trying to protect you. I love you," I said gently. Her face softened and she uncrossed her arms.  
  
"Okay I wont mention this to anyone," she agreed.  
  
"I guess we'll just go back, and tell everyone that you felt stressed so you ran away and I brought you back. Don't eat anything anyone gives you except me, and save a sample of everything offered to you. Keep a close eye on everything that has to do with food. I'll hang around and try to pick up on some information around town," my voice sounded like I had everything under control, but in reality I was uncertain, making up every word that flooded out of my mouth as I went along.  
  
"So then do we leave soon?" she asked.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, as soon as the sun rises," I said confidently.  
  
"Tomorrow morning it is." 


End file.
